Machine for sewing on buttons or fasteners



May 11,1926. 1,583,852

G. w. NELSON MACHINE FOR SEWING 0N BUTTONS 0R FASTENERS Filed Mayli, 1923 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR HIS ATTbR'NEY May 11 1926.

' 1,583,852 s. w. NELSON i can: FOR sswxus on BUTTONS on FASTENERS Filed May 7. 1923 s Sheets-Sheet 2 f7 Ml f I IN EivroR iL I Y Qg x l! ZfiSATTORNEY May 11 1926.

G. W. NELSON CHINE FOR SEWING 0N BUTTONS OR'FASTENERS Filed Nay 'i, 1923 a sheets-sheet 5 Patented May 11, 1926.

GEORGE w mson; on ornvniznnn, ommnssrenon no Trrn's'rennnnn MACHTNE'COMPAN'Y, O1" CLEVELAND, A GER$3ATEOI OEEEHIO:

Application: filed May, 7,.

The inventionreiatesto:sawing machines of. the class a da pitcdi hm sewing; snap; fasteners o1; hut/tons to; garments, and; WllIGh comprises a. wonlL-lolder and means for ope-hating said: work-holder to: present the severah eyes of a supported fastener: on button: to: the stitching mecl-i'anisnn In: a: machine at this lrinrh. it isimporta-nt that the eyes of' the fasteners or buttons be accurately presented: to. the needle for the pnop'en passage of? the" latterthenethno-ugln in; the stitching operation, and: it. has there fore. been one oh the objects or. the present inven-tienv to provide an impnoned openatmg;

mechanism for; the Work-holder which will: be effective: to such end; this,. I provide an operating. mechanism including, two" 'lnemb'ensg. one, sncln as, a ratchetv havingconnect'i'oni with the workholder, and: the. other, such asze pawl being operative to engage said-1 ratchet and impact. an intermittent movement. to the same and assoei ated worle-holder-g. and? in: comics-- tion with such partsp L employ-means fol: causing the ratchet member and thereby the connected worlc-l1older,,to stop, in a predetermined.- positionv follbivingi eaclr movement imparted thereto: the. actuating; pawl membenwhichi predetermined position of, the worlnholder i's .one. with the.- eye oi. the supported fastener: or button. directly in the path. of the. sewing machine needle.

A further desideratzum. in a, machine of the present, type is the securing of; the last: sewing. stitch of. a: group. by a. seriesof s0- called tacking. stitches, VhiChJ latter areusually taken in. thelast eye of. the fastener one; button. entered: by the needlin. to permit which: the Work-holder is. caused to. remain stationary; It hasttherefore been a further. object of. the invention to provide a simple and. eflicient tacking means-fen coropenation.

with my improved. work-holder operating. mechanism.

Other ohjectsand adlvantages will appear in the. detailed description of the. invention. which iollows.

Referring now tOstllG accompanying drawings in which I have; shown only so. much.

100 of a, sewing machine asisznecessary. to. illustrate my invention,.-

Figure. 1 is a plan View. of the lied of a sewing, machine having supported. thereon the workfholden and. its. operating mecha I-naccomplishing;

1923; Serial: newest-sea.

nism, the usual overhanging arnn and. sup ported. needle. mechanism being; omitteclt Fig. 2 is a sectional elevationto-t the same, the section being. taken. on.-li11e22. oi

1- i Fig. 3 is a detail;v in topplan, showing. by full and. dotted lines the operation of the ta cki'ng; device.

s is. a section on [ll18"4t4i of Fig;

3 1. 5 is a: View in sideelevation of certain. of the parts shown in: Fig; 4,. in disassembled. relation. Figs. 6 to 10. inclusive are top plan. views of the parts shown in. Fig. 5, other. than I thev two lower screws,

Fig... 11. 1s. a plan. View of. the tacking. device.v

Similar reference characters ind'icatelike parts in the severalfigures of the drawings. The framehase or-hed of'themachine here shown comprises a hollow standard 1". adapted to rest and be securedfonfa suitable supporting. tahle,.and having theusual 110171128X- tension.2atthesewingendiofthe machine. for the connenient manipulation of' the Work in presenting the same tothestitching mechainlsnn.

Suitably journal ed in. this hedis the .usual drive shaft 3' having an operative connection. at its front. end with: the. hook (not shown) of the stitching mechanism, and atits. rear. end' heingf adapted. to extend beyond the basel for connection witha. suitahle:

stop mechanism such, for example, as. that shown. inLettersPatent No. 1,252,931, issued January'8,.1'91 8, which is operativeto stop the machine upon completion of each group of stitches made, in the'sewing. on of individual fasteners or buttons. i lflount'edlupon the upper. surface'of the bed plate is a work holder, indicated generallyhy'w whichmay' he ofany suitable or desired construction to hold. a fastener" or button. insewing, relati'onfto the garment or otherwork to which it is. to be attached. This WOI'kzhOldGl. is slidahly held, on. the lied plate. by means-of a. headed pin or screw 4 on said: plate engaging. the base plate 5. of the. worksholder in a longitudinal slot 6' therein, which connection permits of: combined longitudinal and oscillating movements of the. work-holder whereby it may, be operated to move a fastener: or buttonsupported. at its front. end in; apathto present.

the successive eyes of the fastener or button to the stitching mechanism so that theconnecting stitches will form a square or polygon, as shown in Fig. 1. This method of laying the stitches about the center of the buttons or fasteners renders the machine es-' pecially suitable for use in sewing on snap fasteners, in which the connecting ball and socket members of the same are centrally located and would therefore be within the space outlined vby the connecting stitches, as shown in Fig. 1, which illustrates at 7 one of the members of a snap fastener held by the work-holder.

The means for operating the work-holder in the manner described comprises a rotatable ratchet member 10 suitably mounted on the bed-plate of the machine and having at its upper side a crank pin 11 pivotally connecting with a plate 12 which is rigidly attached to the rear end of the base plate ofthe work-holder and constitutes an extension of the latter. Intermittent rotary movement of this. ratchet member will operate the connected work-holder to impart a similar movement to its front end and thereby cause the latter to successively present the eyes of the supported fastener to the needle, the intermission between the successive movements being timed to permit of the necessary stitch-forming operation in each successive eye.

The diameter of the path of movement of the front end of the work-holder in presenting the eyes of a supported fastener to the needle will be determined by the diameter of the circle described by the actuating crank pin 11 on the ratchet member 10, and in order that the diameter of the said path of movement may be varied to meet the requirements' of different sizes of fasteners, the said crank pin is adjustable radially of the ratchet member whereby to vary the diameter of its path of movement and thereby that of the front end of the connected work-holder. Such adjustment of the crank pin is effected by mounting the same on a block 14 which is slidably supported in a transverse groove 15 in the upper side of the ratchet member and adjusted therein by means of a screw 16 which is threaded into the block and held against longitudinal movement by a notched cap 17 fitted over the upper grooved end of theratchet member and engaging within an annular groove 18 in the head of the screw. With this arrangement of parts, a. turm'ngof the'screw 16 in the proper direction will operate to move the block 14 back and forth in the groove 15 and so give the desired adjustment of the crank pin 11.

The ratchet member is intermittently operated in the manner described by'means of a'pawl 20 pivotally mounted on an oscillatory carrier 21, here shown in the form of a ring mounted on the bed plate concentric with the ratchet for the engagement of its supported pawl with said. ratchet. This pawl carrier is operated from a grooved cam 23 on the drive shaft through a lever 24 and connecting rod 25, the said lever being pivoted on the bed plate at 26 and having a roller stud 27- at its under side engaging the cam through an opening in the bed plate, and the rod connecting at one end with the free end of said lever and at its opposite end with the pawl carrier at 29. With this actuating means, constructed and adjusted in the manner shown, the pawl 20 is operated to give the ratchet four intermittent quarter turns in efi'ecting a complete rotation of the same, which movements of the ratchet operates the connected workholder to successively present to the needle the four eyes of a supported fastener.

As hereinbefore referred to, it is important that the eyes of the fastener or button be accurately presented to the needle for the free passage of the lattertherethrough in the sewing operation. To effect this, I have pro-- 1 vided the ratchet member with a plurality of open seats or depressions 30 in its under side, here shown as four in number, which are engaged by yieldable devices, here shown in. the form of balls 81 resting on the top of coiled springs 32 carried in a stationary support. These balls will readily yieldto permit of the ratchet disc being rotated under the action of the driving pawl, but will snap back into the succeeding seats when the ratchet has been given its predetermined movement and bring the same and connected work-holder to a stop in predetermined position upon each actuation thereof.

The pawl and ratchet devices, together with the several directly associated parts,

may be supported and arranged in any suitable way, although I prefer to combine them in the manner here illustrated. In doing this, I employ a base plate 35 which is adapted to be secured in a stationary position on the bed plate by suitable fastening screws. This base plate is formed with a central opening and provided at its underside with a tubular extension 37 coincident with its said opening. On the upper side of thebase plate is a raised hub portion 38 on which rests the annular pawl carrier 21. Resting supporting and operating springs 32 are seated within pockets 40 in the base plate for upwardpressure against the under side of the ratchet. As a means for holding the as shown in Fig. 4. A set-screw 42-threaded into this holding screw 41 with itsinner: end pro ecting lntoengagement with-the ratchet extension, serves-to lock zthescrew .41 in his adjusted position. :Eitted .over ,the upper slotted end oflthe ratchetimen be-r, thus held to the basepl-ateby the -screw4l, isitheieap 17, which is adapted to=be .fastened in posi tionto retain thecrank-pin carrying block within the transverse rgroove of1the ratchet member, by fasteningseliews 43.

After the work-holder has been operated to present the fastener to the stitching mechanism .for a predetermined number of sewing-on stitches and just prior to the making of the last few stitches of a group or series before stopping of the machine by the automatic stop mechanism, the feeding movement of the work-holder is adapted to be automatically stopped with the last eye of the fastener in the path of the needle so that the last few stitches of the group or series may serve as fastening or tacking stitches. The means for doing this comprises an oscillatory ring 45 mounted on the base plate for movement about the hub portion 38 and having a pin or projection 46 adapted for movement from an inoperative position out of the path of the heel 47 of the pawl 20, as shown by full lines in Fig. 3, to an operative position in the path of said heel, as shown by dotted lines in said figure, in which operative position it acts to prevent the toe of the pawl engaging the teeth of the ratchet member to operate the latter and connected workholder. This of course results in the workholder remaining stationary for the sewing of the tacking stitches.

The operation of the ring with its pin 46 is controlled from a cam 50 mounted on a transversely arranged shaft 51 driven from the main shaft 1 through worm-gearing 52, shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. Mounted on a fixed stud shaft 53 at the under side of the bed plate is a bell-crank lever 54 having a roller stud 55 resting on the periphery of said cam 50. An arm of this lever extends above the bed plate through an opening therein and is connected through a link 56 with an arm 57 of the ring 45. During the operation of the machine in sewing on the fasteners, the roller on the lever 54 rides on the high part of the cam 50 and maintains the ring 45 in position with the pin 46 back out of the range of movement of the pawl 20, but when the feeding movement of the work-holder has been completed for the sewing stitches and the fastener is in position with the last eye in the path of the needle, a cut-out 58 in the cam will have reached a position rtepermit: the roller 55 1 on ;the lever to drop therein and.cause:theconnectediring 45 :to advance :the ,pin .46 :to its operative pawlengagin g position, such zfiGiliOIl {of ithe parts being quickly effected by means (of .:;a

coiled spring-60 which connectsattone end with the upper arm of the lever 54 and at its opposite end with a fiXQdIPi-n 61 onathe bed plate. The cut-out 5-8 is of such length asito permit of theitiakingofthedesired predetern'iined number of tacking stitches, following which the #101161 stud 5.5 will again be'raisedto the high part of the cam to withdraw'the pin 46to its'inoperative position and: so release the pawl 20 'foixactuating the work-:holder inmakingthesucceeding; group or series of sewing-on stitches.

lilhat I claim is:

1. In a-machineofthe class described, the combination with a work-holder, of means for operating the same to successively pre sent different points of the supported Work to the stitching mechanism, said means comprising cooperating pawl and ratchet members, and automatic means for rendering said pawl member ineffective to drive the ratchet member at a predetermined time prior to the stopping of the machine.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a work-holder, of means for operating the same to successively pre sent different points of the supported work to the stitching mechanism, said means comprising two co-operating members one acting to drive the other, a controller movable to and from an operative position for rendering said actuating member ineffective .to drive the second member, and automatic means for shifting said controller to and from its operative position at predetermined times in the operation of the machine.

3. In a machine of the class described, the

combination with a work-holder, of means.

for operating the same to successively present different points of the supported work to the stitching mechanism, said means comprising co-operating 'pawl and ratchet members, a controller movable to and from an operative position for rendering said pawl member ineffective to drive the ratchet mem her, and automatic means for shifting said controller to and from its operative position at predetermined times in the operation of the machine.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a work-holder, of means for operating the same to successively present different points of the supported work to the stitching mechanism, said means comprising a rotatable ratchet member operatively connected with the work-holder, an oscillating member having a pawl mounted thereon for engaging with and driving the ratchet member, and a controller movable to and from position for rendering said pawl ineffective at a predetermined time in the operation of the machine.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a Work-holder, of means for operating the same to successively pre sent different points of the supported wort to the stitching mechanism, said means comprising a rotatable ratchet member operatively connected with the work-holder, an oscillating member having a pawl mounted thereon for engaging with and driving the ratchet member, a controller movable to and from a position tor rendering said pawl ineffective at a predetermined time in the operation of the machine, and an oscillatory carrier on which said controller is mounted.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a work-holder, of means for operating the same to successively present different points of the supported Work to the stitching mechanism, said means comprising a rotatable ratchet member operatively connected wit-h the work-holder, an oscillating member having a pawl mounted thereon for engaging with and driving the ratchet member, a controller movable to and from a position for rendering said pawl ineffective, an oscillatory carrier on which said controller is mounted, and means inclndinga rotative cam for operating said oscillatory carrier at a predetermined time in the operation of the machine to shift the controller thereon into position for rendering the pawl inetlective.

In testimony whereof tnre.

I am my signa- GEORGE W. NELSON. 

